Shifting Currents
by Red Sova
Summary: He was going to die. Just the thought alone caused tears to swell in his sky blue eyes. He didn't want to die here, alone and forsaken, where any savage animal would tear him slowly devour him without so much as ensuring he was dead first. He didn't want to die even then, there was so much he had to do, so much he should have done.
1. Chapter 1

_They had abandoned him._

 _It shouldn't have surprised him as much as it did, he supposed, everyone besides Jiji and Iruka wanted him dead anyway._

 _Why did he think his teammates would be any different?_

 _So much for Kakashi-Sensei's motto of 'Those who abandon their friends being worse then scum' but then again;_

 _They where never truly friends, just a group of children thrown together by an unholy twist of fate. It didn't help ease the sharp stab of betrayal though._

 _Why had he tried to help them? Why hadn't he just done the smart thing for once and run the other way for help- it was painfully obvious they where outclassed._

 _Why did the abandoned him?_

 _Why hadn't anyone shown up to look for him or at least his body? He had been laying here, unable to so much as left a finger for almost a week after Sakura had grabbed Sasuke and rushed off without so much as a backwards glance._

 _Was he actually going to die here? Paralyzed on this godforsaken forest floor with more shattered bones then any living man should have the right to have?_

 _Did he really mean so little that no one would ever come looking for him?_

 _No. Iruka would come, Jiji too. If only to burry him properly- if there was a body left to bury after all._

 _He was going to die. Just the thought alone caused tears to swell in his sky blue eyes. He didn't want to die here, alone and forsaken, where any savage animal would tear him slowly devour him without so much as ensuring he was dead first. He didn't want to die even then, there was so much he had to do, so much he should have done._

 _He was sobbing now, biting his lip to keep as quite as possible, less any nearby predators heard him._

 _He shouldn't cry, he was a Shinobi, but he just couldn't stop._

 _He didn't want to die in this hellhole where the populations would likely celebrate his death._

 _"Isn't this interesting."_

 _Wha-?_

* * *

"Samuel, wake up."

Instantly, sky blue eyes shot open, as a scarred hand moved to its owner's side, straying near the handle of a knife he always slept with.

Wha? Where?

It took the boatman to realize he wasn't lying on a forest floor but rather in a bed, with a set of familiar faces looming over him in worry.

Emily, the young Empress. Corvo, the royal protector and close friend.

That's right, this was Dunwall, his home for the last fifty years of his life. Safe, secure, not dying- well, maybe age was getting to him but he wasn't dead yet- and for some reason at the palace when he had been at his huddle outside the Hounds Pit Pub when he last was awake...

Exactly what was going on?

Relief was on Emily's face as a friendly smile fount its way to Corvo's.

"Cecelia fount you in you huddle, you wouldn't wake no matter what she tired. She panicked and called us. You've been sleeping for a week, Samuel."

Apparently he had voiced his thoughts though that did explain a bit. Still didn't explain why he was sleeping so long but Corvo must of seen his confused as the other continued speaking in a soft tone.

"From what we understand, someone tried using magic to bring them too you but somehow you where able to resist and your body starting fighting against the magic as you sleep."

Someone tried Summoning him? Why in heavens name would anyone want to summon an old sailor like him?

Corvo was talking, likely trying to ensure him while promising safely, but Samuel wasn't listening anymore. His eyes where focused on the back of his gloved hands where he could feel a slight tingle of a pulse coming from. He had a feeling if he was to remove his gloves his mark would be pulsing like a star for all to see.

It would appear someone had Erland in a bad mood...again.

* * *

In the darkness of the void, a lone figured raved and ranted as he stared out of a dimensional window at a group of Shinobi surrounding a large circle of complicated Fūinjutsu meant to summon his eldest from him.

Did they really think it that easy? That he would just allow them to steal his favorite out from under his own nose?

In the words of an angry Sailor right before he knocked him overboard all those years ago, _'Like I hell would you fucking bastard'_.

Samuel was his.

He had acquired the dying child- and the rather nice bonus of a demon fox raging in a despite attempt to keep them both alive in the child's mind- fair and square before giving him both his mark, a new name and a new life in a new world. He had taught the child to read, write, play instruments and carve. He had been the one to steal Justus from the other dimension and ensure they always fount their way into the child's hands with clear instructions he could understand. He had ensured the child always had shelter, education, food, and clothing.

He had watched the child turn into what the Heart called a _'Perfect person'_ , keeping him alive when the fox couldn't. He had watched the child turn into a well figured teen and then a husband at only sixteen. And when his wife had died with his child in the messy affair, he had been the one there for blonde haired teen who was not quite a man then. He had been the one who made sure Samuel forgot and knew how much he loved him.

Samuel was his- and maybe Corvo's one day if the younger could ever convince the other to forget the age difference- the fruits of his hard work.

If they wanted his Boatman they would have to pry the other from his cold dead fingers.

* * *

"Achoo!"

Someone was talking about him.

Pocketing his handkerchief, Samuel couldn't help but wonder why everyone seemed so interested in an old boatman like him these days. He was quite certain there wasn't anything all that interesting about him, he was just a simple boatman trying to live a simple life.

His hair was still as snow white as it had been twenty years ago and his eyes still that same shade of sky blue that held a sharp edge of wisdom that one only gained from age.

Nothing unique there. He was just as plain and dull as the scarf wrapped around his neck.

There was _absolutely_ nothing unique about him at all.

 ** _'Achoo!'_**

'Bless you Kurama.'


	2. Chapter 2

Though he wasn't all that pleased about how they tricked him into accepting it, Samuel loved his job as the Royal Boatman for the young Empress. Carting the young Emily and her Protector; Corvo, around while telling the younger stories about his youth and all he had accoutered was a relaxing affair. Emily loved stories, she loved knowing of the unknown and all that awaited out on the unchartered waters and Corvo was happy as long as the young Empress was.

Corvo...

To be honest Samuel wasn't quite sure what to think of the man, the other had acknowledged them as friends but it may have helped ease Samuel's mind a bit if not for the younger's _'parting gift'_ that day on Kingsparrow Island. Some days, the elder swears he can still a hint of lavender with the bitter edge from lingering aftertaste of the crimson cure.

Shaking his head, The elder forces himself to focus on the currents and shifts in the wind. Nope. It never happened. He was not thinking about it- ever.

 _Focus, old man._

He had to stay focused on his task.

Closing his eyes, Samuel could smell salty breeze and hear the waves beating against the Amaranth's hull. If one were to ask the aging boatman he would usually claim it the most relaxing sound in the world's history; but there was something off today. A tension sitting in the air that didn't belong; like an invisible thread waiting to snap.

It unsettled him, something the boatman wasn't used to feeling, not at sea. Not after...

 _"As long as you are within my waters nothing shall ever kill you. You have my word, Samuel. "_

No. It didn't matter. He just wasn't used to this feeling; it wasn't natural.

It was almost as though something was attempting to force itself into **_his_ ** ocean; a suicidal gesture if the boatman had ever seen one.

* * *

They where stubborn, void filled eyes narrowed at his dimensional window with as an annoyed scowl fount its way to the deity's face.

Six hundred complex rituals within the last month alone, though he supposed the fact he now had two separate groups attempting to steal from him it shouldn't be all that impressive. Still, it was a bit of annoyance, every now and then he could feel one or two of their rituals attempting to slip through, causing his oceans to rebel against the unknown but they never quite managed to reach their intended target.

He could also be faulted for that, seeing as how he had managed to whisper into the young Empress' ear, convincing her to go out to sea each time one slipped past him. Still this one worried him; it strayed in his ocean longer then any of the other's had managed-slowly worming its way closer to his boatman.

To say the deity was displeased would be an vast understatement.

* * *

The sea- **_he_** _, Samuel supposed_ \- was angry, the waves growing harsher with every passing moment the feeling of unease- of wrongness- lingered.

The boatman was doing his best to keep the Amaranth from topping over while the young Empress clung to her Protector. If there wasn't a child present, Samuel was certain he would be showing how much of a sailor he really was.

While the sea may be his sanctuary it wasn't so for others, especially when the childish Deity was in a mood.

"Samuel," The elder paused hearing the fear in the young Empress' voce, "What's that?"

Following her finger, the boatman couldn't help but wonder why Fate seemed to hate him so much today.

Tornadic Waterspouts where rare is this part of the vast ocean- a man would find himself lucky or rather unlucky to see even one- the fast there where six of the devils forming around them and of such a magnitude...

The old sailor swore as he grabbed a thick coil of rope, carefully wrapping it around his two passengers' waists, before attaching it to the Amaranth.

"Hold onto something."

The elder ordered before focusing on steering his faithful boat. There was no way they could get through this before the blunt of the force would form, but maybe if he could find a way to steer them around the worst of it...

Judging by how quick the harsh winds where picking up, how violent the waters where already trying to overlap into the Amaranth; it wasn't likely but Samuel couldn't find it in himself to inform Emily of that. All he could really hope for was to find the calm of the storm and stay inside until it let up- of course to get there, he would first have to go through the worst of it.

The life of a sailor, but he wouldn't have it any other way.

By time the worst of it clears enough for Samuel to see, he's consumed by a feeling of utter wrongness. The air is wrong, the salt in the water smells different, the waves may as well not exist at all, and worse of all in the boatman's opinion; he cannot feel the shadow- which all beings in the ocean, even its very waters, held- that was **_him_**.

"Where are we?"

Corvo is helping the drenched Empress to her feet; checking her over- much like Samuel himself would like to- for any wounds, scrapes, or bruises. Instead the boatman focuses on taking in their surroundings, trying to figure out where exactly they are and better yet how they managed to get there.

He can tell the tell-tale signs of landmasses in the distant fog and its not until they get closer that Samuel can see the bridge. A bridge he recalls from a memory so distant its almost a dream. Its not possible but the sign is a clear as the day it was first put up:

The Great Naruto Bridge.

"-uel? Samuel, Focus! Where are we?"

"Nami no Kuni."

The words fall numbly from his lips before he can stop them or even decided to pretend not to know. He blames it on the shock, after all, they shouldn't be here. They can't be here, its impossible.

This wasn't even apart of their world.


	3. Chapter 3

He's cautious as they reach their docks, treating the whole affair as though he's dropping Corvo off for another task shoved upon them by the Loyalist. Samuel half wishes it was, Traitors they may be but at least then they where still in their world and he knew what to expect.

Here, the boatman feels as though he knows nothing.

Nami no Kuni isn't the empty town he remembers; instead its thriving, its streets bustling with life and activities. The people seem happy, their voices light and cheerful; laughter in the distance. Time- and maybe the murder of a certain midget- changes everything he supposes.

He ties the Amaranth securely to the docks before helping Emily onto land. Corvo is giving him that look again, seems he really wasn't getting out of that talk. Shame, Samuel finds he really doesn't want to talk but the Royal Protector has always been stubborn.

First things first though, they need closes. Samuel digs around in his boat before locating a small velvet pouch tied under the main steer. There's not much in it, a few golden coins- no more then forty- at most but he recalls correctly; gold was highly valuable here. An small exchange should be enough to get them by without drawing too much attention.

He quietly walks down the docks, allowing the young Empress to take one of his hands while Corvo holds tight to her others.

* * *

Maybe his memory was a bit faulty, though he's thankful he has age to blame for that.

Don't laugh.

How was he to know gold here was much more valuable then he originally believed? All Samuel did was give up a single gold coin and he was currently holding more money then he had ever before in his life. The poor teller still hadn't wiped the stars from his eyes as he stared at the gold coin the boatman ended up exchanging as though it held all the answers in the universe.

Maybe it was due to how long he spent at sea but Samuel fount he couldn't quite understand people and the unnatural reaction to shinny objects such as gold coins.

The boatman doesn't like shopping but he finds it easier to do when he has Emily's overexcitement to distract him. She runs about, never quite leaving their sight, as she grabs anything and everything that interests her to show them. Samuel doesn't wish to spoil her but the boatman finds it hard to tell her no when all she has is the clothes on her back and a hopeful gleam in her eyes.

He pretends not to notice Corvo's shoulder's shaking in silent laughter as he loses yet another battle to the dreaded foe known as Puppy Dog Eyes.

The order a room near the docks that night; its not much, only holding a single bed and bath but its enough. He cooks to avoid accidently food poisoning while Corvo helps Emily clean up. Diner is a small affair; a hearty stew to help warm the bones, a fresh sweet roll and a glass of tea. They treat is like a banquet though, Emily smiling all too brightly as she demands he becomes the Royal Cook. Thankfully Corvo shots that down telling her Samuel can't be both Royal Boatman and Royal Cook.

"What do you know about this place, Samuel?"

Corvo asks only after the young Empress is tucked onto bed and the boatman is safely back in the Amaranth. For a moment, the elder stares at him without a word before sighing. He tells Corvo what he can, but not everything.

He tells him of the five major continents: The Land of Fire, The Land of Wind, The Land of Earth, The Land of Lightning and The Land of Water. He tell him of the five Major Villages: Konohagakure, Sunagakure, Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Kirigakure. He tells him about each village containing Shinobi and a Kage, Village Shadow, how leads the village and only answers to the Daimyo- _'think of them as an Emperor or Empress, Corvo'_ .

"This isn't our word, is it?"

Say what one will about him, the Royal Protector catches on rather quickly once granted enough clues.

"No, it isn't."

The younger grants him a look and Samuel knows Corvo wants to ask how he knows so much about this strange world, but thankfully the other holds his tongue. The two bask in the shared silence, enjoying the rare moment for a bit before Corvo stands and heads back inside to guard the Empress.

Samuel watches him go before pulling his jacket tighter around him and making himself comfortable for the night.

* * *

 _He dreams of the void, its eternal darkness surrounds him, swirling about as it tugs on the edges of his clothing._

 _'Come,' it beckons, 'Follow.'_

 _When he doesn't move it tugs harder._

 _'Come,' its ordering now, an edge to its tone that dies down into a soft whispher, 'Please.'_

 _He relents and allows it to pull him alone, forcing his feet to contiue fowards even when the small island ends. He walks through the darkness and hallowed out screams of those who are forever lost wihout pause._

 _'Closer. Hurry.'_

 _Its impatient like a child, but he keeps that to himself as he moves a bit faster. Before long, he's running though towards what he does not know. He just knows he can't stop, the void won't let him._

 _'Almost,' It promises, 'A little further. Hurry.'_

 _"I'm hurrying."_

 _Its true, the only way he could run faster was if he started Blinking or using Chakra. He'd rather not have to use either._

 _'Hurry. They're coming.'_

 _He blinks in confusion. They're?_

 _"Who's coming?"_

 _The void does not answer but tugs him harder, practically dragging him along now. It worries him, the void usually lets him more at his own pace, never dragging him anywhere. Never quite that desperate._

 _Something is wrong._

 _He's not sure how long he's been running but there's finally something in the distance. It feels warm and inviting, calling out to him, beckoning him towards it._

 _Perhaps that is what he needs to reach?_

 _'Yes. Almost. Almost.'_

 _He's closer now, he can smell saltwater, taste the salty breeze, hear the clashing of waves against sturdy wood and the soft singing that comes from beneath._

 _He's so close._

 _He can see the young man with brown hair and void filled eyes, he's reaching out as though to grab him and pull him through what appears to be a golden shield of sorts separating the two areas._

 _'Samuel, hurry.'_

He wakes to screams. 


	4. Chapter 4

Peace was fragile.

It was brittle like glass that was just upon the edge of shatter, one never quite knew when the finally crack would connect to the other hairline cracks like a jigsaw and shatter all that was built around it. An illusion that blinded all with the beauty of its hollowed out cause but in the end it never quite kept its promises.

The idea of peace was beautiful, the truth- not so much.

For there to be peace there must be war. When there is war there is anger, sorrow, regret, lose, betrayal, deception, revenge, hatred and death. As long as any such emotions existed there would never be true peace but a compromise. A frozen picture presented for the world to see but eventually the colors would fade, cracks would break out upon the image until eventually the picture is completely unrecognizable; and then the peace would be shattered once more.

The cycle was a never-ending one; so watching what had been a peaceful village just hours ago rage against the intruding Shinobi wasn't something that surprised Samuel. The streets once filled with laughter and festivities was now covered with blood and the sound of steel clashing against steel. Fire spread throughout the district as people rushed about attempting to put it out while they could.

Hidden beneath the shadow of The Great Naruto Bridge, Samuel watched while young Emily clung to his side. Corvo himself was somewhere in within the village having given the Boatman specific instructions before Blinking away. Samuel was willing to bet his beloved Amaranth, that if he went looking he'd locate the Royal Protector right in the middle of the chaos.

"Samuel..."

The soft spoken voice drew his attention immediately. Emily, despite her status was still a child; one who- if the terror in her eyes was anything to go by- never quite had such a first hand experience of such carnage. He could see her flinching into herself as one of the screams managed to reach them. Damn Corvo.

Gently he picked the younger up, placing her within his lap as fingers threaded through her hair in a smoothing gesture.

"Its okay Emily. It'll be over soon. "

"Will Corvo-"

"My Lady, you couldn't kill him if you tried. "

Seeing how many people have tired and failed, the boatman was half certain some Deity- besides the Outsider- was on the Royal Protector's side. Something that ensured the younger always survived- even if Samuel had to stitch the younger back together afterwards- despite the impracticable odds that left even the boatman hesitant to allow The Royal Protector off the Amaranth. Hopefully, the younger could manage to pull through another of his miracles.

For now through, The Boatman had an Empress to distract from her worries. Sometimes he believes he should be a Royal Storyteller rather then a Royal Boatman.

* * *

"- we stumbled across a Tusked Leviathan, at first I thought it was beautiful- these strange markings on its side that seemed to glow within the darkness of the night- and then it ate my whole platoon. I suppose I must of been knocked unconscious for when I was woken it was four days later, another naval until had harpoon a whale and dragged it aboard their ship. They fount me sleeping soundly upon its back. They claimed I was the luckiest bastard they ever meet."

"But why didn't the Leviathan eat you?"

Emily's curious tone cut through the night air as she leaned closer to the elder, fully focused upon his story.

"I was no longer on the ship but within the water."

A confused look crossed the young Empress' face causing the Boatman to chuckle softly.

"I don't know. Spite maybe? Maybe he got full when he ate everybody else and a good third of the ship?"

A soft giggle left the young Empress causing Corvo to relax slightly, it was nice to see Samuel was able to deal with Emily and any anxiety she may have suffered while he was away.

Silently he Blinked onto the Amaranth- ensuring he was directly behind the boatman- while placing a single finger to the part of his mask of where his lips should be. He could see the delight dancing within the young Empress' eyes as the younger caught sight of him and the delight turning rapidly into humor when her mind caught onto his mischief.

Emily swiftly refocused back onto the elderly sailor, asking every possible question she could think of that would firmly keeping elder's attention upon herself as Corvo allowed his blade to slip into hand.

It was just supposed to be a prank, nothing harmful.

He'd put the knife to Samuel's throat and scare the older. Then both he and Emily would get a good laugh while the Boatman scowled his displeasure. It wouldn't last for long, it never did, Samuel would eventually give in with a soft chuckle and a sparkle of amusement that would alight those sky blue eyes.

Maybe it wasn't his smartest idea but he wasn't quite thinking with his brain at the moment, rather the soft tingle that never failed to fill him upon seeing the elder smile, hearing the echo of a laugh that had yet to happen. One that wouldn't be happening that day as the moment the knife touched the elder's throat, Corvo had felt a hand painfully tighten around his wrist, followed by the sound of bones being crushed.

Splash!

The water was like ice, cutting through his clothes as the younger forced his way towards the surface only to find a pistol held within a firm hold and pointed right in-between his eyes. He's followed the pistol to the arm and the arm to Samuel's stern face. He was no longer sitting but standing with Emily shoved slightly behind him for safely. For a moment, Corvo didn't recognize the boatman until something flickered in those determined eyes and they settled into an expression of friendly annoyance.

It was a look the younger had grown used to, one that the elder usually reserved for when The Royal Protector pulled a stupid stunt that usually ended with Samuel having to stitch him back together.

"God Damn It Corvo!"

Stuffing his gun back within the folds of his jacket, Samuel reached out a hand for the younger's. Grasping it firmly, the boatman gave a single tug yanking the smaller from the waters below and back within the safety of the Amaranth. One day, the boatman swore, he was just going to do the world a favor and outright shoot the Royal Protector. The younger was practically begging for it at this rate.

* * *

"What do you mean he wasn't there?!"

"I'm sorry My Lady, there was no Uzumaki Naruto within the village. They thought we where mocking or insulting them when we demanded his return for only moments later they where attacking us. "

"Are you sure he wasn't there? Our Sensors felt the rift opening right in their harbor!"

"Hai, Hokage-Sama. I checked myself."

She had men wounded, some even dead and the Land of Waves all but ready to march onto the Village with no actually results to show for their efforts.

 _'So the Uzumaki Curse struck again...'_

It was only after Tsunade had become Hokage did anyone bother telling her about the Uzumaki Curse, if she had known before hand she would have put up a bigger resistance then she had originally done so. Ever since the Kyuubi's Jinchuuriki; Naruto Uzumaki; had disappeared- after his team had been attacked by Orochimaru within the safety of their own village at that- everything had slowly but surely fallen into ruins around them.

Vendor's who had once overcharged the boy on anything and everything fount their shipments either completely disappearing or completely unsalvageable upon arrival. Those who had stunted his education had fount theirselves suffering wounds that left them physically unable to communicate to the world or worse; Braindead. Those who had participated in Mobs to kill the Jinchuuriki had fount theirselves dropping like flies no matter who they hired to protect them. She had once surrounded a man with both Anbu and Ne-Anbu and yet he still ended up a corpse by sunrise.

The Jinchuuriki's medical documents had fount their way to the Daimyos and other Kages. They had been furious, cutting their budget by eighty-six percent. A vast majority of missions they relied upon had sudden fount theirselves redirected to Suna, Kumo, Iwa, anywhere and everywhere but Konoha. Without constant watch crops wilted or where eaten by locus of all things. Some rivers dried and others became filled with monsters, one was even full of cannibalistic fish that would leap out of the water and take off a man's face should they step within five feet of the bay.

Ties where cut, Treaties and what should have been Century Long Pacts shattered. Wave outright banned Konoha from ever using their shipments and merchants began to go out of their way to avoid the once powerful nation. Whispers took to the streets, everyone finding one constant factor within each blow:

Uzumaki Naruto.

Some believed it was Kami's revenge, some believe the Jinchuuriki made a pact with the Devil and some believed it was the doing of the Jinchuuriki himself. A last act of vengeance, a curse, to tear down the village that attempted to kill him six times a day everyday. As for Tsunade, she didn't believe it wasn't the Jinchuuriki but rather some Divine Being reigning down vengeance in the Jinchuuriki's stead.

 _Somewhere in the void, The Outsider sneezed._

Then Jiraiya- her pervert of a teammate and the Jinchuuriki's Godfather- dropped the prophecy upon them.

People became desperate. Anything to end the Uzumaki Curse. Anything to gain back the status they lost. Even if that anything was the Kyuubi itself. Yet to their surprise when they finally managed to locate the missing Uzumaki he wasn't within their world but another. It didn't matter, they needed Uzumaki Naruto here to complete the Prophecy. To make Konohagakure raise from its own ashes.

Unfortunately it would appear the 'Uzumaki Curse' wasn't done with them just yet. If anything it seemed to have become even more veracious.


	5. Chapter 5

_She's beautiful._

 _Her maroon hair blazes under the sun as she spins in small circles around the garden, the skirt of her dress spanning further around her as she spins faster. A carefree laughter spills from her delicate lips as her eyes shine like sapphires._

 _Amaranth Knight._

 _She's the most alluring thing he's ever been fortunate enough to lay his eyes upon._

 _"Samuel, "A playful pout plays onto her rosy lips as she grabs him hands and pulls his onto his feet, "Dance with me."_

 _Its not really dancing but he allows her to spin them into circles until both tumble to the ground with a bout dizzy laughter. They must look ridiculous but Samuel couldn't find it in himself to care as she rests her head against his shoulder. For once, everything is perfect._

 _Until a wet cough fills the air and a crimson stain finds its way onto his shirt. He's on his feet in seconds, holding her tightly to him in worry. His beloved is leaning heavily against him, her frail body shuddering with each sickly cough. Positioning an arm under her knees, Samuel is quick to turn on heel and head towards his home Ancestral Home where his Wife's Private Nurse meets them at the door._

* * *

 _ **'I bet you the Uchiha are behind this.'**_

Samuel couldn't hlep but roll his eyes with a fond smile upon his face.

 _'You do realize all but two-'_

 _ **'Three.'**_

 _'Thank you. All but three of them are dead? The possibility alone of any one of the three being invovled in near astrominical.'_

For some reason everytime something bad happened, Kurama blamed the Uchiha.

Samuel caught a cold.

 _ **'Great. I told you not to spend so much time near that brat when you where a Kit. Now look what he's done to you. '**_

Samuel stubbed his toe.

 ** _'God Damn Uchiha. I bet they put it there just so we would stumble into it.'_**

Papercut.

 _ **'This has 'Uchiha' written all over it.'**_

The boatman had once pointed out there where no Uchiha's in Dunwall but well... Kurama was rather set in his ways. One way or another, everything was the Uchiha's fault. It didn't help they where now within the same world as the last three Uchiha.

 _'Kurama, be reasonable. How does Corvo and Emily almost burning down the kitchen in any shape of way make an Uchiha's at fault?'_

If anything the Boatman supposed it was his for agreeing to allow them to cook if he managed to bring home a decent amount of food everyday. Honestly he what was he thinking? Corvo had almost burned down The Hounds Pit once when attempting to boil water for a bath. What possessed him to think the Royal Protector-let alone his daughter; even if she was his Empress- could actually cook?

 _ **'They could have used the hypotonic abilities of their eyes to brainwash them into burning down our house so we would be homeless.'**_

Samuel swore he could hear his brain cells screaming as they where crushed under the level of Kurama's utterly ridiculous explanation.

 _'I wasn't aware you thought so highly of them that you would believe them capable of such an irrelevant ruse.'_

The boatman would have argued his point if he thought it would actually get him anywhere with his... Partner but as it was, this was the best route to ending Kurama's ranting before it could actually leave the ground.

 ** _'I don't... I just said it as what they would do if they actually had two brain cells to rub together.'_**

A soft sight left the Boatman as he focused on the guilty and rather sheepish looking duo before him.

"Go wash up. I'll see what I can scavenge from this-"

The two are gone before he could even contemplate finishing his sentence. Leaving Samuel to deal with the aftermath of their... To be honest the Boatman's not quite sure what he should call **That** ; a Natural Disaster maybe?

 _ **'Don't look now but the 'food' just started walking.'**_

Looking over, the white haired man was surprised to find the pot which had once held the _'Food'_ was deserted and said _'Food'_ was already halfway to the kitchen window someone- likely Emily- had left open. As if that wasn't disturbing enough when it turned slightly to better angle itself onto the ledge, the boatman could see an actually face with sharp shark like teeth and eyes much like a fish's.

 _'I'm going to pretend I didn't see that.'_ Samuel decided as he turned to rampage though the fridge. _'Do you think they would be upset if I heated up leftovers tonight?'_

* * *

Though he doesn't tell anyone for rather obvious reasons, Corvo enjoys watching the boatman sleep. When he's awake, Samuel is always guarded whither anyone realizes it or not, but when he sleeps the Royal Protector sees a side to the boatman few ever would.

Some nights the elder looks to be in utter peace as he dreams of a woman who his soft mumbling dubs _'Amaranth'_. The first night Corvo had overheard the elder mumble that name, the Royal Protector had naively believed the man to be dreaming of his boat until a few more nights clicked things into place. Amaranth must have been the _'Hopeless Love'_ as the heart so kindly dubbed it.

Some nights, Samuel doesn't dream at all and for Corvo; those are the most unnerving as the elder just lays there silently as the grave while looking for all intent and purposes as though he is dead. He attempts to avoid that trail of thought all together.

Some night, the boatman's brow will furrow as sweat glistens across his skin and his fingers claw at whatever is beneath him. Nightmares remind him the elder is still a man, just as vulnerable as anyone else but slightly better at hiding it. These nights are the worst as far as the Royal Protector is concerned.

He was disturbed, Corvo was well aware of that and Coldridge hadn't helped resolve his _'Issues'._

He conceals them to the best of his ability, distancing himself from the rest to ensure their own continual safety but it wasn't enough. The Boatman had managed his way past the Royal Protector's optimal efforts without even endeavoring to do so. A part of Corvo wants to blame Samuel; the man had been too kind, too trusting, believed a bit too much in him but the Royal Protector knows the only deficiency on Samuel's behalf was believing in him when none other would. The elder treated him like a human not a tool or a killer. He treated him like a friend.

Could he really censure the man for having faith in a monster when not even he did?

* * *

 _'Achoo!'_

 _ **"I win!'**_

 _'That doesn't count!'_

Samuel couldn't help but scowl at the cards scattered upon his mindscape's floor with blunt distaste while mumbling about cannibalistic demons and their childish ways of solving disputes. Honestly, what was wrong with just flipping a coin these days? Quick, easy and low possibility of being intruded upon by a damn sneeze but now the oversize rabbit had to play Castle of Cards instead.

 ** _'For the last time; I am a Fox! The Nine Tailed Demon Lord, not a god damn rabbit!'_**

 _'That's what they all say.'_

The Boatman couldn't help but notice how Kurama didn't deny being a cannibal; only his species.

 ** _'I'm not a rabbit!'_**

 _'Your ears say otherwise.'_


	6. Chapter 6

"Samuel?"

"Yes, Emily?"

"Do you love Corvo?"

The abrupt question is asked so innocently, the boatman can't help but choke on the very air within his lungs as his grip tightens upon his fishing pole.

"I beg your pardon, My Lady, but where is this coming from?"

The young child shifts slightly upon her seat within the Amaranth as she glances down at her hands for a moment before gaining a firm look of confidence and meeting his eyes.

"Corvo loves you. I know he doesn't verbally say it but I can see it in his action, the way he acts and talks around you. And you.. I know you've notice but you don't do anything but ignore it. I don't want to see him hurt, Samuel. "

A soft sigh leaves the boatman. It was true he had noticed and that kiss in Kingsparrow Island had all but shouted out the truth to the elder but he couldn't. Corvo was a friend, admittedly one that left him feeling highly confused most times but love? The Boatman was a bit hesitant to call it that. Sure it probably sounded romantic and simple to a child's view but Samuel wasn't a child; He was an old man with more baggage then anyone should ever be entitled to. The boatman chose his words carefully.

"I care for Corvo, My Lady, I will not deny that. I consider him a very close friend and would do practically anything for either him or you but I can't say its love in the tense of what you speak of. "

"If I ordered you to, would you love him?"

"No," The boatman's tone is firm as he glances down upon the young Empress across from him, "Love isn't something you can force nor order upon someone Emily. Its a complex feeling that abides my no man or woman's word be they street urchin or Empress. "

Maybe its a bit harsh but she must understand, there are somethings even royalty cannot acquire by just demanding it. Somethings took time, effort, an unshakable will, sweat and blood; Love was one of those things. Blue eyes focus back upon the ocean before him while the boatman allows his Empress to ponder his words in silence.

* * *

"Samuel?"

"Yes, Lady Emily?"

"Did that fish just eat Corvo?"

"Yes, I do believe so."

"...Should we do something to help?'

"I'm sure he'll be fine My Lady."

For some reason, Emily wasn't as convinced as her smiling boatman.

"Isn't it a bit cold to be going for a swim?"

The boatman couldn't stop his smile despite the dark eyes glaring venom from the icy waters below. Really, it would have been a more threatening if only the man didn't look like a kitten left out in a thunderstorm. Chuckling softly, the boatman reached out a hand to help the Royal Protector into the safety of the Amaranth.

 **Splash!**

Diffentally too cold to be swimming. Pushing himself to the surface, ocean blue eyes narrowed at the grinning man treading water across from him.

"Samuel," The tone was positively mocking as mischief danced within those dark eyes, "Isn't it a bit cold to be going for a swim?"

He swore to drown the younger.

* * *

There are whimpers in the wind. Whispers of how a once mighty nation has fallen, whispers of a curse:

The Uzumaki Curse.

The first time the boatman hears about it he raises a brow with a sense of amusement. He images pranks and chaos at every turn yet he hears of death and suffering instead. The boatman finds the only thing he feels is an instant of distant perturb, a faint echo that any stranger would endure upon hearing destabilizing news. Maybe he should care more, but then again, why should he?

Konoha had been a Hell Hole when he had lived there, Samuel doubted the years had changed it.

Sometimes when one gardens a good smoldering is necessary to rid oneself of the decay burrowed deep within your cherished verdure least it festers to those around it. In some cases smoldering wasn't enough and the verdure would have to be thoroughly uprooted and replaced as a whole.

As far as the Boatman is concerned Konoha is the decaying verdure and this 'Curse' is nothing more then the necessary sacrifice warranted to save who where resistant to the self fabricated toxicant slowly devouring the once Great Nation from the inside out.

"Pity."

He tells the gossiper who had been observing his every expression in eagerness for a response.

 _ **Pity we weren't the one to set the flame.** _

Kurama may have also had a Konoha Issue, but Samuel didn't disagree. He would have savored being the one holding the matches which established the blaze.

* * *

Displeased doesn't even began to cover how he feels as the void waver around him.

He had been so close, if only the damn barrier hadn't been in the way he could have dragged the other into the safely of the void. A barrier. A barrier in his domain. The thought alone makes the Deity's fury swell and while it didn't tell him much, the barrier had told him enough.

 _Prophecy._ Samuel was a chosen one.

Despite his vexation, Erland can't help but laugh. While Samuel was what the heart would call a _'Perfect Person'_ , the boatman wasn't _'Chosen One'_ material. At least not anymore, the Deity had personally ensured he thoroughly crushed those aspects of the man when he had been but a lad. He couldn't wait to see the looks on their face if they ever realized what he had done-

Well, well.

"Hello Corvo."

Corvo Attano was always amusing to observe and it seems being misplaced within the multiverse has not changed that in the least. Its not everyday one of his... Entertainers openly threatens him with his own gift. A smile filters on to the deity's face as he floats just out of the man reach.

"I wish I could, really I do, Corvo." And Erland does. He would like nothing more then to pluck them out of that dimension and relocate them back into Dunwall. "Nothing would please me more then to help you, but I fear someone has placed a barrier around one of your group and unless you abandon them I cannot bring the others back into the safety of Dunwall. "

"Then I'll leave them and you can help Emily and Samuel. "

"I never said the Barrier was around you Corvo."

He could almost hear the gears spinning inside the Royal Protector's mind.

"Samuel."

The Deity's grin grows.

"Indeed. Certain people within this dimension have shown an unnatural interest in Samuel Beechworth. Enough of an interest to attempt to kidnap him and accidently acquire both yourself and Young Emily as a bonus. "

"What did you do?"

He could actually hear the low growl in the other's tone as a scowl replaced his smile. Why was everything automatically his fault?

"Some sixty years ago I discovered a child dying upon a forest floor of a place called 'The forest of Death' after he had been abandoned by those he had saved and what should have been his friends and family. I made him an offer he couldn't refuse. "

"And what does this have to do with Sam-"

"I'm not done Corvo." Really what was so hard about just listening these days?

"The child's damage was too severe to just stich up so with a bit of magic mixed within the void itself I deaged the child into an infant and ensured he was granted to a decent couple who had fount theirselves incapable of children after an incident within their first child's birth. They named him Samuel after what all legal test would show to be his Mother's Father. "

The silence was deafening as dark eyes clouded over in thought.

"Why now? Why wait sixty years to drag an elderly boatman back?"

"Time runs differently here, Corvo. What has been sixty years for Samuel has only been ten years for them. As for why... Well where would be the fun if I just told you? "

As far as Erland was concerned he had answered plenty of questions- enough to cause Chaos and plant necessary information within the Royal Protector's mind- how he used it would be up to Corvo.

* * *

He watches the boatman closely after his brief visit to the void, finding any and all excuses to stray as close as possible. Yet despite that, despite looking for differences or hidden intents, Samuel doesn't change.

He's the same old Boatman the Royal Protector has always know. Sometimes he takes the chance to squeeze the Heart for answers and her voice speaks to him:

 _Samuel is a simple man, but he knows the River Wrenhaven and all its tributaries, down to the smallest inlet._

 _He has many scars. Some from the phlegm of the river krusts, some from the nameless monsters of the deeper ocean._

 _Samuel Beechworth went to sea to forget a hopeless love... He succeeded._

 _The Boatman has a good heart, he respects you._

At first nothing seemed to change until...

 _He doesn't want to be here. This is not his home._

 _He wonders where you got a human heart from and why you keep squeezing it._

...Wait, what?

Quickly glancing up, feeling as though his own heart was about to beat out of his chest, Corvo was just capable of seeing the Boatman's eyes quickly dart away from the Heart in his hand and back to the clam waters before them.

Samuel could see it? How? The Heart was supposed to be invisible to anything not inflicted with the void-

 _The child's damage was too severe to just stich up so with a bit of magic mixed within the void itself-_

For the first time, Dark eyes darted down to the boatman's hands covered by a set of leather, fingerless gloves. He had never quite questioned what was under the fabric before but now...

Now his fingers twitch with the urge to grab those slender wrist and force the gloves off the other's scarred fingers. He would be having... words with the boatman if that symbol was beneath the fabric and maybe a bit more.

"Corvo!"

The sharpness of the usually calm voice forced The Royal Protector back to reality. Close. He had never saw the boatman move, too lost within his own thoughts, but seeing the man crouched before him with honest worry in those ocean blues eyes as warm breath caressed his face; Corvo sure as hell noticed the elder now.

"You okay? You where spacing out a bit there."

Too close. _Not close enough_ , his traitorous mind whispers. And then there are those hands, gloved as always, mocking him as they gently checked his eyes and forehead; searching for some issue to explain his behavior. Samuel likely believes him sick. Heh, while he wouldn't be wrong per say, Corvo doubts the boatman understands exactly how sick he is. He wonders if the elder would still look at him with those trusting blue eyes if he knew it was taking all of Corvo's willpower to just keep control over himself and not to just shove the boatman down and take what he wanted.

"That does it, We're getting you inside and into bed."

He doesn't both protesting when the other pulls him to his feet. Maybe proper rest would see those dark thoughts from his head? He'd ask about what's under those gloves later.


	7. Chapter 7

_Blood._

 _The metallic smelling liquid is bitter sweet on the tip of his tongue. Dark eyes closes as he attempts to savior the moment while the slender body pinned beneath him withers in a attempt to buckle him off. The gesture is futile but he doesn't mind, matter of fact, he'd encourage it. He loves it when the other struggles._

 _A soft moan slips through closed lips as his fingers dig into his captives chest. He's a well fit man despite his age, slender with the build of a runner or a swimmer, muscles hidden just under the pale skin. Dark eyes slowly move from the man's chest to his face; Snowy blood clotted hair, bruised lips and angry ocean blue eyes greet him with the knowledge that if not for the shackles the elder man would have killed him in the slowest way possible by now._

 _He knows he's betrayed the other's trust. He knows he disturbed and that this wasn't normal. This wasn't something someone did to one they claimed to love, but he's doing it because he loves him. He doesn't mind if the other's anger at him, betrayed by his actions, if anything he finds his anger and open defiance utterly Beautiful._

 _He doesn't mind if the other curses his very existence, as long as he's his and his alone._

 _"I love you."_

 _The words are gently on his lips but his actions are but that of a man in love. They're cruel, demanding and unforgiving as he tears apart everything that makes the man, Samuel Beechworth._

 _He such a greedy and selfish man but he thinks its a fair trade; he keeps his urges in check and protects a whole kingdom from the shadows. He plays the part he's assigned: a Loving Father, a Royal Protector, a Hidden Sword; unbendable, inflatable, untouchable, perfect and gentle in every sense and way._

 _Why couldn't he have one, just one, that he didn't have to hide his true self from? Just one who could deal with the demented man hiding the mask, just one he could slowly tear apart and oh so lovingly stich back together._

 _He quickly licks his suddenly dry lips as fingers ghost over surprisingly soft, scarred skin. He wonders what sort of monsters the boatman has seen in his life and how he never noticed the one right before his eyes._

 _"Corvo." There's a warning in the rough voice._

 _It must hurt to speak but the boatman has always held an edge of stubbornness, still the younger makes a mental note to next time strange the elder harder, if Samuel could still verbally protest- even with only one word- he hasn't been thorough enough. For now, the Royal Protector pays it no mind as his fingers deafly work on unfastening the belt upon the other's hips._

 _He has a prize to claim after all._

Dark eyes shoot open as the owner takes a moment to stare blankly upon the ceiling while catching his breath. He's lying upon a bed, alone, in a room he reconizes as part of a small house Emily had picked out.

A dream.

Shifting slightly, the man lefts out a soft groan at the newly fount buldge between the sheets. Damn it. It would appear that no matter how bland of a dream he had, as long as the boatman was in it he would be waking to the same issue.

 _Shower_ , the Royal Protector decides as he pushes off the covers, _a cold one at that._

He stumbles his way to the bathroom door and pushes it open, only to freeze as his mind sputters at the sight before him.

"You're up a early. You usually sleep for a couple more hours."

Corvo wants to respond but every time he seems to find his words they fail him as his eyes take in the scene before him. The boatman stands there for a moment, towel in hand and surprise clean in his eyes, carefully fasten a towel around his waist while water glistens upon the visible skin, highlighting every scar and canvas as they passed over them. He can't help but watch as the Boatman turns and collects his clothes, throwing them over his arm, each movement causing the towel to sway slightly until its resting, oh so teasingly, upon his lower hips.

Good God Almighty, where they purposely trying to tempt him?

"Showers all yours."

The Boatman's smiling as he slips past the frozen Royal Protector, bodies brushing against each other due to the tight space, and out into the hallway. Corvo has half a mind to drag the other back in but by time he collects himself enough to put thought into action; Samuel is gone, likely already on his way back to his beloved Amaranth.

Maybe he should go drag the man from his boat and make him take responsibility? The Royal Protector highly doubted a shower would cut it anymore.

* * *

He doesn't remember the last time he was here, staring at the two crosses just overlooking the Great Naruto Bridge. Time has worn the wood down but at the same time, the fact they still stand tells him someone has been looking after the graves, for that he is thankful.

The boatman shifts slightly on the spot, unsure what to say to the one he considered a friend; who taught him a valuable lesson while he had been a young stupid lad. Sighing softly, the elder sits cross-legged before the crosses and pulls out a bottle of High Proof Liquor.

Sometimes when there's nothing to say; a drink with friends is the best thing a person can do.

He leaves the bottle, unopened and untouched, at the graves when he decides to head back.

"It was nice to see you again, Haku."

The Boatman doubts he'll have time to visit the grave again.

The Royal Protector is waiting for him when he gets back, the younger had a strange look in his dark eyes, as though pondering wither to stay or run before it steels itself.

"Samuel, Can I have a word with you?"

"Sure-"

"Alone."

The Boatman is quite certain his confusion is visible at the request but he sees no harm in it. Its just Corvo, it wouldn't be the first private conversation they've had- though usually those had all been in Dunwall within the safety of his beloved Amaranth.

"Of course, Corvo. Lead the way."

He doesn't feel comfortable without his gloves. He still recalls the day his parents had granted them to him; his father pleading for him to never take them off while his mother cried. The Head Priest's hand, heavy upon his shoulder and solemn promises to help save his soul from the devil's temptation but until then he would have to be strong and resist. He could recall the way his brother had scowled at the man's words, glaring at the Priest as though he was the devil himself.

To be honest, Samuel had believed them all to have lost their minds; Its was just a birthmark. Yet he agreed anyway, anything to stop his mother's tears. Over time the gloves had just become another part of him; one born out of obligatory. So maybe that's why he wants to hit Corvo, grab his gloves and run back to the Amaranth?

Yet he restrains himself. All Corvo had done was ask, Samuel had taken him off of his own free will. It wouldn't be right to attack the man for something he was innocent of. Either way, the Royal Protector had a firm grip on his wrist making it perfectly clear he wasn't letting go until he was satisfied.

"If anyone finds out about this, they'll throw you into Coldridge in a heartbeat."

A part of Samuel wants to believe Corvo is pointing out the obvious but the boatman knows better, He can hear the subtle threat within his tone. He's not one for threats, let alone from friends so he smiles warmly as he speaks in a joking tone, but his eyes have gained a sharpened edge to them.

"Who knows, maybe I'll be your neighbor? We can spend all day griping about why they didn't just burn us at a stake."

For a moment the younger is silent, his shoulders tense as he no doubt caught the boatman's subtle message, before laughter bubbles from the other.

"No offense Samuel, I'm certain you'd be a good neighbor but I'd much rather be Cellmates instead. "

Samuel could feel his own smile forming at the Royal Protector's words.

"I'm sure you would."

* * *

"What did you do?"

Her father's tone has the young Empress' flinching more then the firm grip on her arm as he dragged her out of the bedroom and into the living room. He sounds furious, a tone he never quite took with her before, but one she knows well. Its a tone usually persevered for enemies that is always followed by death.

What had she done? This wasn't part of the plan. Samuel should have gotten sick, yes, but not to this degree.

"I... I didn't mean for this to happen. "

"Emily, what did you do?"

She feels like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar. It wasn't supposed to happen like this, the poison was only supposed to make him sick. They said it was only lethal for those with that Chakra thing which was so similar to magic. He was just supposed to get sick enough for Corvo to nurse him better, during which they would spend even more time together and Samuel would see what a great man her father was.

Her hands are shaking when reaches into her pocket and pulls out an empty vial.

"They said it would make him sick. They said it was only lethal for those with Charka."

She's not sure why her father looks like a ghost but Emily is certain of one thing:

Somewhere along the way, her master matchmaking plan has already been screwed up.

* * *

The Boatman doesn't recall the last time he felt this sick.

His body is heavy as stone while every vemonious breathe permeates his lungs as scorching flames and his insides with a sharp, agoniging pain as though someone is constantly stabbing his every bundle of nerves with daggers. He can't decide if he's scolding hot or freezing cold as his body constantly changes with every passing moment. He wants to wake, to get up and move; to distract hismelf from the pain but he can't.

Hell he couldn't even open his eyes if he wanted to. So he allows himself to drift into his mindscape, relaxing into one of Kurama's many tails while the Demon Fox grumbles to himself and familiar crimson charka rushes to mend his moribund body.

 ** _"-bet the God Damn Uchiha gave the brat that poison. Ha! If they believe we'll succumb to the likes of such an underhand tactic-"_**

Heh, Samuel knows he should probably be further concerned then he is but listening to Kurama rant and rave only assisted the boatman into relaxing and drifting off into a peaceful sleep.

He trusted his partner to keep them alive if only to spite the _'Uchiha'_ he was so certain was behind this.


	8. Chapter 8

If one was to ask Samuel Beechworth would grudgingly inform you his worst enemy was: Bed Rest. He was an active man by nature, he didn't enjoy being caged up for any reason. So being trapped inside a small house, away from the ocean and his beloved Amaranth was a nightmare for the elder man.

"I'm fine Corvo."

There's annoyance in the boatman's voice as he narrowed his eyes upon the stubborn man across from him. He's lying- if not for the Kurama he'd likely be dead- but Samuel wasn't one to let such a small issues as a child has misguidingly poisoning him keep the Boatman away from his Amaranth any longer then he had already been.

"Samuel," The younger's voice is gentle, "I want to believe you, I really do, and maybe I would have. Had I not just watched you cough up a lung."

A firm look entered those dark eyes as the boatman went to protest. It wasn't a lung, just a couple gallons of blood. He's coughed up worse.

"The only place you are going is the shower to get all that blood off you while I throw these covers into the wash. Then you're going back to bed until I deem you fit enough to actually leave the house. "

"Bu-"

"If you dare argue with me over this, I will wash you myself and chain you to the bed."

For some reason, Samuel finds he feels like a child again, caught under his mother's disapproving stare. His jaw shuts with an audible click before looking away from the other man.

A shower does him some good after all, the hot waters help scrub the blood away and smooth the ache in his bones while granting him time to think. At times, the Royal Protector was like a Mother Hen though usually it was resolved solely for his young Empress and not the boatman. Now Samuel's only problem was how to get away from the Mother Hen and back to his Amaranth without the other noticing?

Slowly blue eyes scan the room before landing on the small window just above the shower. Waste not, want not. He highly doubted he could use the front door after all. Its been a literal lifetime since he's done something like this- actually had the need to- but Samuel finds he easily slips through the small space and lands onto the ground below with a feather light touch. It would seem he still hasn't lost despite not having a need for such skill since the days he ran from Iruka.

The Boatman is smiling as he quickly sprints for the harbor. If he's in Amaranth by time Corvo discovers the trick, the younger will have no _solid ground_ to drag him back.

* * *

Their sensors had picked up a subtle spike in Kyuubi charka from Wave.

To be bluntly honest, he doesn't know why he's doing this.

He doesn't know why he bothered to lie but when contacted he told them he looked into the sudden spike only to find the source already missing. He doesn't know why he didn't tell them about the old man with ocean blue eyes and a friendly smile going by the name of Samuel Beechworth.

He doesn't know why he didn't bother reporting them when Samuel, the darker man and the child first showed up immediately after the time frame they had used the ritual.

He wasn't a very good spy, was he?

He could play the part, act the civilian merchant with basic training, but when it came to delivering the goods... Heh, he could never quite fall thorough. Troublesome.

Then again, what else should he expect from anything involving Naruto?

* * *

There's a man he doesn't know sitting within the Amaranth with Samuel by time Corvo arrives. It takes everything the Royal Proctor has not to march towards the two talking man and throw the stranger into the ocean but instead he chooses to blink just close enough to hear but not too close to be noticed.

"-Troublesome Old Man."

A laugh leaves the Boatman, his blue eyes sparkling like the waters below.

"Everything's _'Troublesome'_ to you, Shika."

"Yes, but you're a special type of troublesome, one worthy of its own category. After all not many others run to a boat when they have enough poison in them to kill an army. Who did you manage to piss off that they would be that desperate?"

"No one. My Empress was attempting to play matchmaker." The Boatman's tone was gentle without the least bit of anger or frustration that most man would have shown in his stead, "Though I'm more concerned over who was stupid enough to sell poison to a child is what worries me more."

"You're age must be getting to you, Samuel. There are Shinobi younger then her capable of getting even deadlier poisons these days."

The Boatman hums softly.

"I supposed I've grown unused to it."

He doesn't like the way the other watches his Boatman nor the way he shifts slightly so their knees are touching despite the other spaces he could have placed them.

"So... You dating the _'Dark One'_?"

The Boatman chokes, suddenly giving the other his full attention.

"No, Corvo and I are just friends. Nothing more." The Royal Protector can't help but scowl seeing how the stranger; Shika, relaxes slightly, "... Dark One?"

"His eyes," Shika says as though it explains everything, "there's something twisted in them. Dark, vile, disturbed, ev-"

"Shikamaru." The Boatman's tone is harsh, startling the Royal Protector but the other; Shikamaru seems almost used to it.

"I've known you've seen it as well Samuel. Those aren't the eyes of a man but a monster who would happily tear the world asunder."

"Its not like that Shika, Corvo just had some rough times recently. He just needs some time and less judgment from those who don't know him."

Sometimes it almost painful how trusting Samuel is of him, but Corvo's heard enough. He doesn't need this stranger trying to drive in another wedge. He blinks behind the man. Ocean blue eyes instantly lock onto him as the younger tenses in his spot; words dying on the tip of his tongue. The boatman on the other hand just smiles.

"Corvo, we where just talking abut you. Take a seat. "

He's half tempted to do just that but a barely hidden cough from the elder reminds him of why he's really there.

"Samuel, I thought I told you that you weren't leaving the house today."

"I wasn't aware you've suddenly became my mother, Corvo."

"I'm not. I'm your friend and as such I'm well within my righteous reasons to keep you inside until you're properly healed."

Never once does his dark eyes leave the man.

* * *

He can't sleep. Its not the first time the Royal Protector has suffered this issue but usually there was a different source: Nightmares, The Outsider, Memories. Yet not this time, this time his insomnia is self inflicted.

The boatman looks peaceful when he sleeps, one hand tucked under his head like a pillow while the other's arm is stretched closer to Corvo thanks to the cuffs around both men's wrist. If one wasn't looking closely, Corvo doubted anyone would notice that the boatman's skin was a shade paler then normal or the slight gleam of sweat on his forehead.

Such a stubborn man.

Still, stubbornness wasn't all that bad. It kept his partners alive when he couldn't bother to and it was likely stubbornness and misplaced faith that kept Samuel from believing that bastard.

But still...

 _'I've known you've seen it as well'_

What exactly did Samuel see when he looked into his eyes?

Though he doesn't want to admit it the Royal Protector jumps when a sudden weight wraps itself firmly around his waist and drags him across the be.

"Go to sleep, Corvo. You're thinking so loud I'm certain the dead can hear you."

Samuel. He's not sure when the boatman woke or how he didn't notice seeing how he was staring intently at the man but despite the firmness of his tone there's an underline warmth to it. He doesn't want to sleep, he need to stay awake least the boatman tries pulling another stunt but the elder is warm and comfortable. The raise and fall of his chest with each steady heartbeat is like a lullaby slowly luring him into the abyss.

As though he could read his mind, a sigh leaves the elder.

"I'll still be here when you wake. Promise. "

* * *

 _'I'm being recalled the day after tomorrow. They're planning to be sending a new squad to infiltrate Wave soon. It'll most likely be followed with another assault so no one notices the switch when its done. The Hokage is certain Naruto is hiding within this village and well... She's not wrong, but I don't think that's a good thing for you'_

A soft sigh leaves the boatman as he stares upon the wooden ceiling above the bed. Its was a shame Shikamaru was leaving so soon, but the boatman appreciated his old friend's warning.

 ** _'Go to sleep, Samuel. You can plot a way out of this disaster in the morning.'_**


End file.
